Energy output estimation for small-scale wind power generators using Weibull-representative wind data

• Published in: Journal of wind engineering and industrial aerodynamics Vol. 91; no. 5; pp. 693 - 707
• Main Author: Celik, Ali Naci
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2003
• Subjects: Estimation of wind energy; Weibull wind speed distribution model; Weibull-representative data; Weibull-representative data; Weibull wind speed distribution model; Estimation of wind energy
• ISSN: 0167-6105; 1872-8197
• DOI: 10.1016/S0167-6105(02)00471-3

Estimation of energy output for small-scale wind power generators is the subject of this article. Monthly wind energy production is estimated using the Weibull-representative wind data for a total of 96 months, from 5 different locations in the world. The Weibull parameters are determined based on the wind distribution statistics calculated from the measured data, using the gamma function. The wind data in relative frequency format is obtained from these calculated Weibull parameters. The wind speed data in time-series format and the Weibull-representative wind speed data are used to calculate the wind energy output of a specific wind turbine. The monthly energy outputs calculated from the time-series and the Weibull-representative data are compared. It is shown that the Weibull-representative data estimate the wind energy output very accurately. The overall error in estimation of monthly energy outputs for the total 96 months is 2.79%.